Bitcoin DeFi key to unlocking $300T potential: Asymmetric Founder

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Serial entrepreneur Dan Held, whose past exits include Zeroblock and Interchange, sees Bitcoin DeFi as the largest untapped opportunity of his decade-long crypto career.

Speaking on the Supply Shock podcast Tuesday, Held told host Pete Rizzo that he sees decentralized finance (DeFi) as the key to unlocking bitcoin’s potential as a $300 trillion global asset. He pointed to the ability to earn yield for lending bitcoin — one of the many financial functions DeFi replicates without centralized intermediaries — as a major opportunity.

Held’s journey into Bitcoin DeFi began with his exploration of yield-generating opportunities, including providing liquidity for Lightning channels and Coinjoins. Initially skeptical of DeFi due to its association with scams, Held became convinced of its potential after witnessing new use cases on alternative crypto platforms like Ethereum and Solana.

He noted that DeFi could introduce new users to bitcoin, much like early adopters were drawn in through activities like Silk Road and speculation. “If DeFi could be unlocked on Bitcoin, it would be by far the biggest opportunity ever to happen in crypto,” Held said.

Elsewhere, Held told Rizzo he does not see Bitcoin DeFi as a zero-sum game where Bitcoin replaces other blockchains entirely. “I think what will happen is that this just absorbs market share from the other ones significantly, but not totally, and that this increases Bitcoin’s dominance,” Held explained. 

“I think Bitcoin dominance goes up if DeFi and Bitcoin gets unlocked…because in doing so, it locks up a lot of bitcoin. It also drives more demand to buy bitcoin. And so I think all of that’s good for Bitcoin,” he continued. 

Held recently co-founded Asymmetric with Joe McCann. The venture capital firm’s portfolio includes Bitcoin DeFi startups such as Liquidium, Fractal and BitLayer.

The addition of DeFi opportunities to Bitcoin is not without its challenges. Held noted Bitcoin’s user experience must compete with Solana, which offers low-cost transactions. However, Held believes that Bitcoin’s L2 solutions will play a crucial role in enhancing user experience, offering performance similar to Ethereum and Solana. 

“I think there’s going to be this renaissance in the Bitcoin DeFi world [in 2025],” Held said.

Updated March 11, 2025 at 1:59 pm ET: Added mention of Asymmetric co-founder.

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